Talking Menopause

Kirsty Wark with Nicola Sturgeon MSP

Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister of Scotland in conversation with Kirsty Wark, one of Britain’s most experienced journalists.   They will be talking about navigating menopause as high-profile, busy professionals.   

Only #FlushFest22 ticketholders will be able submit questions for Kirsty and the First Minister. The deadline for submitting questions is 9th June, so don’t delay and buy your tickets NOW.

The Menopause: Symptoms and Ways to Manage them with Haitham Hamoda

The Chair of the British Menopause Society  and Lead for Menopause Services at King’s College Hospital will explain the medical facts about the menopause: definitions, symptoms and ways to reduce their impact on our lives.  Followed by live Q & A.

Marsh Family Interview

The Marsh Family parents, Danielle and Ben, in conversation with Rachel about why they chose to release a Menopause pop single this year.

The Marsh Family shot to worldwide fame after uploading pandemic parody songs that went viral in 2020 with their unique mix of humour, heart, and hope. The family of six, from Kent in the UK, are versatile, earthy, and independent – putting their own unique twist on genres from musicals and folk to Motown and funk.

Find Strength through Menopause by Amanda Thebe

Author of “Menopocalypse: How I Learned to Thrive During Menopause and How You Can Too!”

Building strength and resiliency through menopause is the gateway to longevity and robust health. Amanda Thebe will show you how to get started – if you have always wondered what strength training is like but have no idea how to begin, then Amanda will lead the way for you. Once you start, you’ll be completely hooked.

Put on your comfy clothes or lycra. No equipment needed!

Working through Menopause by Dinah Tobias

Founder of Blooming Menopause

Getting through a day at work can be a challenge during menopause. It’s no surprise that 1 in 4 women consider leaving their jobs and careers due to symptoms and lack of support.

In this interactive workshop we will learn and explore together:

• your legal rights as employees and best practice support from employers
• how to get support from HR and your line manager
• tips on working effectively despite troublesome menopause symptoms
• how to support your workplace to become more menopause-inclusive

Revenge of the Invisible Woman – How to get yourself Seen and Heard! with Vanessa Collingridge

Broadcaster, author and coach

Does your mind go blank and your whole body flush when you stand up to talk? Do you feel like hiding away from the world? If so, this workshop is for you, helping you gain the confidence & skills to step out of the shadows and make your voice heard. Whether it’s talking to your GP about menopause treatments, a job interview, a presentation – or even just thanking a group of friends on a night out – we all need to know how to stand up and speak with confidence.

This fun, interactive and empowering session will help you do just that. From dealing with nerves & brain-fog, to getting your message across to an audience in a way that’s clear, compelling and authentic – this session is for the new, more confident you.

Create. Connect. Celebrate: Fantoosh Vulva Painting workshop!  with Lynn Fraser 

Artist connecting folk to nature and each other, Mrs Fantoosh

How can we begin to break the menopause taboo if we can’t first talk openly about all bodily parts?

A quirky, fun and beautiful online painty experience exploring and creating abstract vulvas in watercolour.  We’ll take a wee look at a diagram of a vulva to name the parts and discuss thoughts and problems that can arise during menopause.

This workshop aims to be fun, liberating, empowering, colourful, celebratory! Because we need to start celebrating ourselves and our own lived experience in order to nurture our own wellbeing.

No artistic ability is needed, just permission to play, watercolour paints, paper, a brush, a pen and a twig!

Creativity and the Menopause with Sarah Grove-White

Artist and creative wellbeing practitioner

Creativity and The Menopause’ is a creative arts workshop exploring the sensory experience of  perimenopause or menopause transition symptoms. The focus will be on creatively exploring your personal stories and experiences through mark making.

Understanding mental health and wellbeing during and beyond menopause with Diane Danzebrink

Therapist, wellbeing consultant, founder of Menopause Support and menopause campaigner extrordinaire

An opportunity to consider menopause, mental health and wellbeing. The psychological symptoms of menopause are still underestimated and often go unrecognised or misdiagnosed. However, it’s not all about symptoms, how we arrive at perimenopause is also rarely considered. Each transition is multifactorial so during this workshop we will look at some of those factors to help you understand how to navigate the transition successfully and look to the future.

Desire in the Doldrums? Getting your Sexy Back with Dr Claire Macaulay

Certified Sexological Bodyworker

In this interactive workshop, we will be focussing on the effect that the menopausal transition can have on your experience of sexual desire, and exploring what you can do to re-ignite a relationship with your sexuality and your body.

How Can Yoga Help You Manage Your Menopause? with Petra Coveney

Founder of Menopause Yoga

Petra will explain the benefits of yoga poses, breathing exercises and gentle movements to help alleviate common menopause symptoms, and prevent long-term risks to bones, muscle and heart health.  She will guide you through practical techniques which you can take away and use to ease hot flushes, irritability, insomnia and fatigue.

This Menopause Yoga taster session is suitable for people who haven’t done yoga before and is trauma informed.

Mind over Menopause with Ruby McGuire and Gail Gibson

Coaches and authors of “The Working Women’s guide to Menopause”

Manage your mindset
1. Drop the Blame Game (Cause & Effect – taking back control)
2. Just Say ‘No’ (Honouring your boundaries)
3. Ditch Your Mindset Monkeys (Reframing your negative self-talk)

Manage your time
1. Minimise Brain Fog and Get More Done (Power Hours / Productivity)
2. Your New BFF (Accountability)
3. Stop Talking, Start Doing. Adopt the Can-Do Approach (Procrastination)

Manage yourself
1. Ready, Set, Go! (Morning Routines)
2. It’s All About Me! (Self-Care)

Reconnecting with the Body with Kat Lyons

Queer writer and performer

Bodies – especially women’s bodies – can be politicised, sexualised and medicalised, and are often a site of conflict and discontent. During this workshop participants will look at poetry that focuses on the body and bodily experiences, examine which techniques are used to bring those experiences to life on the page, and use writing exercises and discussion to creatively explore their own experiences and relationship to their body, and nurture positivity and reconnection.

Feather of Hope: mixed media art project with Pavla Neuschlova

Therapeutic art and play practitioner

Some women experience unpleasant symptoms during the menopause. Dealing with these can be frustrating. The aim of the art workshop is to create a safe space for their exploration and transformation.

We will use the repetitive patterns, Zentangles, while creating the feather as a symbol of hope. This process can be very soothing and relaxing. The aim is to uplift the mood of participants and help them to change their perspective on the menopause and their symptoms. Participants will need basic art materials: paper, pencil and black pen.